


of a different name and a different fate

by bluebellren



Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-18
Updated: 2015-07-18
Packaged: 2018-04-10 00:15:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4369820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluebellren/pseuds/bluebellren
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Allen Walker never met Mana and never cursed his eye? What if he never met Allen the dog and thus never got his name?</p>
<p>What if he was just Red? The foul-mouthed circus worker just inflicted with a parasite type Innocence that the Order just happened upon one day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	of a different name and a different fate

He didn't remember much of the first half of his life. He doesn't remember the faces of his mother and father or even his birth name, if he had gotten one in the first place. The ringmaster had told him that he was found abandoned near the circus campsite when he was a small toddler that could barely walk and knew incoherent babble, and that the member of the circus troupe had taken a liking to him and adopted him.

As he had grown knowing the love of a family from his troupe, he still never really had a name, just many nicknames until one had finally stuck and everyone just began calling him it.

And thus he became Red.

He believed it was because of a mixture of his red hair and his left arm that was a unnaturally shade of crimson red. He thought it was ugly; his veins looked like they were pulsing out of his skin, it went all the way down his arm down to his hand where a mark that resembled a black and green cross took over most of the top of his hand, his fingers looked like they had scales and they led down to blackened nails. He was a frequent performer for the circus's side show as the disfigured boy. There had been many nights that he cried himself to sleep because of all the laughs and jeers he had received during the day.

One night, the circus's 'fat lady', she had him call her Big Momma and was the maternal figure for most of the young circus workers, had pulled him into her lap, and wiped away his tears.

"Tell Big Momma why you're crying," She rocked him some to sooth him.

"They laugh at me, point at me. I can't take it, I wish I never had this arm. They make me wish I was dead,"

"Oh hush, you don't wish that. Sweetpea, they see you as different, and they may never understand you. Sure, they may laugh, but you mustn't let the laughter harm you. You must have a thick skin and let the comments and laughter slide off of you. Make yourself strong. And remember you will always have us to be with you, we love you and we will not laugh," She ruffled his hair and gestured to the rest of his circus family seated near by.

So he began to try and take Big Momma's advice. As the laughter began the next day, he just ignored it, just tried to think of new things he could do after his performance. Instead of listening to the jeers and insults thrown at him, he paid more attention to the music he could hear coming from the main tent. As his day continued on, he decided that he wanted to learn more ways to perform for the circus.

After the day concluded, he wandered around the campsite asking many for help and training.

Day and Dawn, the acrobatic twins, began teaching him basic acrobatics moves, and suggested that he join their morning yoga group to help with his flexibility.

Ivan, the strongman, helped Red build his strength, working with weightlifting and soon Red was able to help more and more with moving as they moved from town to town.

Bartholomew, the magician's assistant, taught him sleight of hand with playing cards, and had frequently cheated him out of his meal chips, until Red learned enough to give him a taste of his own medicine.

Naeem, the animal trainer, began showing him how to help take care of the animals (feeding, cleaning, maintaining their cages, even playing with them). Red found out the hard way that Romo, the 10 year lioness, had taken a liking to him when he hopped into her cage one day to brush her fur. The lioness decided Red needed a bath and began licking his hair and grooming him. Naeem had a huge laugh when he came to check on Red 5 minutes later, and found Red's hair all a mess and Romo just purring away, and rubbing her head against hers.

Jacobi, the clown, had soon taken Red under his wing to teach juggling, balancing skills and makeup skills.

By the time he was 9, he had become a jack of many trades and was able to help all around the troupe and circus.

But it was also at that age that he learned the hard truth, that no one truly stays with the circus.


End file.
